Yoneko Matsukane

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The Family Game (1983)

A sendup of the stereotypical Japanese family: dad is a salaryman jerk, unable to relate to anyone; mom is a hopeless housewife; the older son is a moderate academic success; but the younger son is a rebellious goof-off for whom a tutor must be hired. The tutor, ...  (more)

DIRECTION:  Yoshimitsu Morita
CAST:  Jūzō Itami  •  Yuki Saori  •  Ichirôta Miyakawa  •  Junichi Tsujita

A sendup of the stereotypical Japanese family: dad is a salaryman jerk, unable to relate to anyone; mom is a hopeless housewife; the older son is a moderate academic success; but the younger son is a rebellious goof-off for whom a tutor must be hired. The tutor, ...  (more)

DIRECTION:  Yoshimitsu Morita
CAST:  Jūzō Itami  •  Yuki Saori  •  Ichirôta Miyakawa  •  Junichi Tsujita

Getting Any? (1995)

While pursuing his dream of having car sex, a goofy middle-aged man makes all the wrong moves and ends up enrolling in a number of crazy escapades.  (more)

DIRECTION:  Takeshi Kitano
CAST:  Dankan  •  Moeko Ezawa  •  Hakuryu  •  Hideo Higashikokubaru

While pursuing his dream of having car sex, a goofy middle-aged man makes all the wrong moves and ends up enrolling in a number of crazy escapades.  (more)

DIRECTION:  Takeshi Kitano
CAST:  Dankan  •  Moeko Ezawa  •  Hakuryu  •  Hideo Higashikokubaru

The Workhorse and The Bigmouth (2013)

34-year-old Michiyo Mabuchi (Kumiko Aso) and 26-year-old Yoshimi Tendo (Shota Yasuda) meet at a screenwriting class. Michiyo Mabuchi, who is called "Basyauma", works hard to become a writer, but can't see a future for herself as a screenwriter. Meanwhile, Yoshimi ...  (more)

DIRECTION:  Keisuke Yoshida
CAST:  Kumiko Aso  •  Shôta Yasuda  •  Yoko Akino  •  Jun Inoue

34-year-old Michiyo Mabuchi (Kumiko Aso) and 26-year-old Yoshimi Tendo (Shota Yasuda) meet at a screenwriting class. Michiyo Mabuchi, who is called "Basyauma", works hard to become a writer, but can't see a future for herself as a screenwriter. Meanwhile, Yoshimi ...  (more)

DIRECTION:  Keisuke Yoshida
CAST:  Kumiko Aso  •  Shôta Yasuda  •  Yoko Akino  •  Jun Inoue

Turn (2001)

Maki is a talented copper plate artist, however, just before her first gallery show, she gets struck by a truck. When she comes to she is at home. When she ventures outside, the city is deserted and she knows something is deeply wrong. Each day repeats; she wakes ...  (more)

DIRECTION:  Hideyuki Hirayama
CAST:  Riho Makise  •  Kantarô Nakamura  •  Akira Emoto  •  Ayako Kawahara

Maki is a talented copper plate artist, however, just before her first gallery show, she gets struck by a truck. When she comes to she is at home. When she ventures outside, the city is deserted and she knows something is deeply wrong. Each day repeats; she wakes ...  (more)

DIRECTION:  Hideyuki Hirayama
CAST:  Riho Makise  •  Kantarô Nakamura  •  Akira Emoto  •  Ayako Kawahara

The Heartbreak Yakuza (1987)

A hardened gangster encounters by chance a woman he hasn't seen since childhood. They are both engulfed in the underground world of intergang warfare.  (more)

DIRECTION:  Masato Harada
CAST:  Kazuya Kimura  •  Koichi Sato  •  Daisuke Shima  •  Rikiya Yasuoka

A hardened gangster encounters by chance a woman he hasn't seen since childhood. They are both engulfed in the underground world of intergang warfare.  (more)

DIRECTION:  Masato Harada
CAST:  Kazuya Kimura  •  Koichi Sato  •  Daisuke Shima  •  Rikiya Yasuoka

Swan Lake (1981)

The hero, Prince Siegfried, is out riding one day with his friends when he spies amidst swans on a lake a particularly eye-catching one with a crown on its head, the familiar Princess ...  (more)

DIRECTION:  Kimio Yabuki
CAST:  Tarō Shigaki  •  Keiko Takeshita  •  Asao Koike  •  Yoko Asagami

The hero, Prince Siegfried, is out riding one day with his friends when he spies amidst swans on a lake a particularly eye-catching one with a crown on its head, the familiar Princess ...  (more)

DIRECTION:  Kimio Yabuki
CAST:  Tarō Shigaki  •  Keiko Takeshita  •  Asao Koike  •  Yoko Asagami

Adventures of the Polar Cubs (1979)

Adventures of the polar cubs is a delightful story of Mushka and Mishka, two polar bear cubs who set out on a series of adventures in the North Pole. Mushka is thoughtful; Mishka is daring. While out on their own Mishka befriends Aura, A prank-playing seal and ...  (more)

DIRECTION:  Chikao Katsui
CAST:  Masako Sugaya  •  Masako Nozawa  •  Nobuyo Oyama  •  Osamu Kobayashi

Adventures of the polar cubs is a delightful story of Mushka and Mishka, two polar bear cubs who set out on a series of adventures in the North Pole. Mushka is thoughtful; Mishka is daring. While out on their own Mishka befriends Aura, A prank-playing seal and ...  (more)

DIRECTION:  Chikao Katsui
CAST:  Masako Sugaya  •  Masako Nozawa  •  Nobuyo Oyama  •  Osamu Kobayashi

God's Left Hand, Devil's Right Hand (2006)

What's scary is being a human being, and what's scary is being myself. Truly horrifying things reside inside oneself. The work asks if you can stand the inescapable terror.  (more)

DIRECTION:  Shusuke Kaneko
CAST:  Asuka Shibuya  •  Tsubasa Kobayashi  •  Momoko Shimizu  •  Saaya

What's scary is being a human being, and what's scary is being myself. Truly horrifying things reside inside oneself. The work asks if you can stand the inescapable terror.  (more)

DIRECTION:  Shusuke Kaneko
CAST:  Asuka Shibuya  •  Tsubasa Kobayashi  •  Momoko Shimizu  •  Saaya

Party 7 (2000)

Seven characters, introduced at the start of the film, get thrown together into the same hotel room: a thief who's stolen a suitcase of money from the mob, his ex-girlfriend, her obsessive boyfriend, the mob soldier sent to retrieve the briefcase, another mobster ...  (more)

DIRECTION:  Katsuhito Ishii
CAST:  Masatoshi Nagase  •  Keisuke Horibe  •  Yoshinori Okada  •  Akemi Kobayashi

Seven characters, introduced at the start of the film, get thrown together into the same hotel room: a thief who's stolen a suitcase of money from the mob, his ex-girlfriend, her obsessive boyfriend, the mob soldier sent to retrieve the briefcase, another mobster ...  (more)

DIRECTION:  Katsuhito Ishii
CAST:  Masatoshi Nagase  •  Keisuke Horibe  •  Yoshinori Okada  •  Akemi Kobayashi

1 Litre of Tears (2005)

15-year-old Aya Kito was an ordinary girl, the daughter of a family who works at a tofu shop, and a soon-to-be high schooler. However, odd things have been happening to Aya lately. She has been falling down often and walks strange. Her mother, Shioka, takes Aya to ...  (more)

DIRECTION:  Riki Okamura
CAST:  Yoshimi Ashikawa  •  Asae Oonishi  •  Kaori Torii  •  Kazuko Kato

15-year-old Aya Kito was an ordinary girl, the daughter of a family who works at a tofu shop, and a soon-to-be high schooler. However, odd things have been happening to Aya lately. She has been falling down often and walks strange. Her mother, Shioka, takes Aya to ...  (more)

DIRECTION:  Riki Okamura
CAST:  Yoshimi Ashikawa  •  Asae Oonishi  •  Kaori Torii  •  Kazuko Kato

The Little House (2014)

Following the death of the unmarried and childless Taki, Takeshi, a young relative of hers, discovers several pages of closely written lines in which the old lady has recorded her memories. This is how he learns the truth about her youth working as a housemaid and ...  (more)

DIRECTION:  Yoji Yamada
CAST:  Takako Matsu  •  Satoshi Tsumabuki  •  Haru Kuroki  •  Chieko Baisho

Following the death of the unmarried and childless Taki, Takeshi, a young relative of hers, discovers several pages of closely written lines in which the old lady has recorded her memories. This is how he learns the truth about her youth working as a housemaid and ...  (more)

DIRECTION:  Yoji Yamada
CAST:  Takako Matsu  •  Satoshi Tsumabuki  •  Haru Kuroki  •  Chieko Baisho

Balloon Relay (2012)

A middle school student named Kozue finds a red balloon with an SD card attached to it. On the SD card is an invitation to the wedding of two complete strangers. In order to escape her daily doldrums, Kozue decides to go to the wedding with her classmate, Kikuchi. ...  (more)

DIRECTION:  Kyohei Fujimura
CAST:  Yuiko Kariya  •  Shotaro Okubo  •  Minami  •  Kanji Furutachi

A middle school student named Kozue finds a red balloon with an SD card attached to it. On the SD card is an invitation to the wedding of two complete strangers. In order to escape her daily doldrums, Kozue decides to go to the wedding with her classmate, Kikuchi. ...  (more)

DIRECTION:  Kyohei Fujimura
CAST:  Yuiko Kariya  •  Shotaro Okubo  •  Minami  •  Kanji Furutachi

I am a Monk (2015)

After the death of his grandfather, Koen Shirakawa (Atsushi Ito) quits his job at a bookstore and goes to a temple to become a monk.  (more)

DIRECTION:  Yukinori Makabe
CAST:  Atsushi Ito  •  Mizuki Yamamoto  •  Junpei Mizobata  •  Gaku Hamada

After the death of his grandfather, Koen Shirakawa (Atsushi Ito) quits his job at a bookstore and goes to a temple to become a monk.  (more)

DIRECTION:  Yukinori Makabe
CAST:  Atsushi Ito  •  Mizuki Yamamoto  •  Junpei Mizobata  •  Gaku Hamada

Shiratori Reiko: The Movie (2016)

Japanese TV drama Shiratori Reiko, which is based on the original Shiratori Reiko de Gozaimasu! shōjo manga by Yumiko Suzuki, will be receiving a feature length theatrical film in June of 2016.  (more)

DIRECTION:  Shinji Kuma
CAST:  Mayuko Kawakita  •  Masaru Mizuno  •  Yutaka Kobayashi  •  Ikumi Hisamatsu

Japanese TV drama Shiratori Reiko, which is based on the original Shiratori Reiko de Gozaimasu! shōjo manga by Yumiko Suzuki, will be receiving a feature length theatrical film in June of 2016.  (more)

DIRECTION:  Shinji Kuma
CAST:  Mayuko Kawakita  •  Masaru Mizuno  •  Yutaka Kobayashi  •  Ikumi Hisamatsu

Organ (2019)

Set towards the end of World War II, Kaede Itakura, who leads kindergartners, and Mitsue Nonomiya, who enjoys music, persuades the parents at the school to take their children out of Tokyo. They seek shelter at an abandoned temple in Saitama while Tokyo is bombed.  (more)

DIRECTION:  Emiko Hiramatsu
CAST:  Erika Toda  •  Sakurako Ohara  •  Momoko Fukuchi  •  Yui Sakuma

Set towards the end of World War II, Kaede Itakura, who leads kindergartners, and Mitsue Nonomiya, who enjoys music, persuades the parents at the school to take their children out of Tokyo. They seek shelter at an abandoned temple in Saitama while Tokyo is bombed.  (more)

DIRECTION:  Emiko Hiramatsu
CAST:  Erika Toda  •  Sakurako Ohara  •  Momoko Fukuchi  •  Yui Sakuma

Hello! Spank (1982)

Film sequel of "Hello! Spank" anime series  (more)

DIRECTION:  Shigetsugu Yoshida
CAST:  Kei Tomiyama  •  Mari Okamoto  •  Noriko Tsukase  •  Rihoko Yoshida

Film sequel of "Hello! Spank" anime series  (more)

DIRECTION:  Shigetsugu Yoshida
CAST:  Kei Tomiyama  •  Mari Okamoto  •  Noriko Tsukase  •  Rihoko Yoshida

The Wonderful Adventures of Nils (1981)

Nils Holgersson is a young boy on a farm who is cruel to the animals. But when he catches the farm's little goblin it becomes one prank too many. He is magically shrunk and suddenly the farm animals are out for revenge. He flees on the back of the goose Morten and ...  (more)

DIRECTION:  Mamoru Oshii  •  Hisayuki Toriumi  •  Masami Anno  •  Yuji Nunokawa
CAST:  Mami Koyama  •  Shinobu Adachi  •  Shigeru Chiba  •  Tessyo Genda

Nils Holgersson is a young boy on a farm who is cruel to the animals. But when he catches the farm's little goblin it becomes one prank too many. He is magically shrunk and suddenly the farm animals are out for revenge. He flees on the back of the goose Morten and ...  (more)

DIRECTION:  Mamoru Oshii  •  Hisayuki Toriumi  •  Masami Anno  •  Yuji Nunokawa
CAST:  Mami Koyama  •  Shinobu Adachi  •  Shigeru Chiba  •  Tessyo Genda

The Games Teachers Play (1992)

The story of an unconventional teacher facing up to his unruly and apathetic class.  (more)

DIRECTION:  Hideyuki Hirayama
CAST:  Kyōzō Nagatsuka  •  Tomoko Fujita  •  Kazuhiko Kanayama  •  Kei Tani

The story of an unconventional teacher facing up to his unruly and apathetic class.  (more)

DIRECTION:  Hideyuki Hirayama
CAST:  Kyōzō Nagatsuka  •  Tomoko Fujita  •  Kazuhiko Kanayama  •  Kei Tani

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DIRECTION:  Rokuro Sugimura
CAST:  Tetsuya Takeda  •  Hiroshi Abe  •  Toshikazu Fukawa  •  Mitsuru Hirata

Amagi Pass (1998)

A fifteen year old boy travels through the Amagi Pass, he encounters some strange people, one of them is the geisha Ozuka Hana. After a murder takes place, the police searchs for the culprit.  (more)

DIRECTION:  Susumu Ooka
CAST:  Kazunari Ninomiya  •  Misako Tanaka  •  Keizo Kanie  •  Morio Kazama

A fifteen year old boy travels through the Amagi Pass, he encounters some strange people, one of them is the geisha Ozuka Hana. After a murder takes place, the police searchs for the culprit.  (more)

DIRECTION:  Susumu Ooka
CAST:  Kazunari Ninomiya  •  Misako Tanaka  •  Keizo Kanie  •  Morio Kazama
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